Dining
Flavorful bet: Bangkok Thai
02.22.10
For years, Bangkok Taste in Santa Ana has quietly been dishing up some of Orange County’s most solid and authentic Thai fare. The strong flavors shine through, from the lemongrass-infused broth of the Tom Yum (hot&sour) soups to the adequately intense heat of traditional offerings like larb, a delicious salad of minced chicken or beef doused in a dressing of fish sauce and lots of lime, accompanied by some cabbage wedges that make for perfect scooping utensils. Thankfully, there’s not much watering down of the flavors—so if you ask for an item to be spicy, it will be.
The $5.95 lunch specials are a big draw here and includes an entree, rice & fried wontons. The small but clean restaurant in tucked away in a nondescript strip mall: it doesn’t get more unassuming than being next to a Big Lots, but the food speaks for itself.
Bangkok Taste is located at 2737 N. Grand Avenue in Santa Ana
714. 532.2216
Dining
Innovative sushi at Ikko
02.22.10
Ikko is for sushi lovers with an open mind. However, it’s not for anyone looking for sushi rolls or even soy sauce on the table. The tiny restaurant is known for its innovative delicacies at the hands of skilled sushi artist Ikko Kobayashi. Sit at the bar and ask for the omakase (chef’s choice), which starts at $60 for six courses and you might wind up with treats such as the steamed egg custard with sea urchin sauce and black truffles, oysters with ponzu mousse or foie gras tacos, and so on and so forth. Otherwise, tasty picks include the salmon nachos (slices of fresh salmon and wasabi cream dotted with salmon roe, all atop crunchy tortilla chips) to spicy tuna with eggplant tempura to prosciutto-wrapped duck salad. Don’t forget to check out the blackboard sushi specials for an array of fish flown in from Japan like whelk, amberjack and barracuda, too.
It can get packed for dinner, reservations are recommended.
Ikko is located at 735 Baker St. in Costa Mesa
714.556.7822
Hours:
Lunch: Noon - 2:00 p.m. Mon-Thu.
Dinner: 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. Mon-Thu.
Lunch: Noon - 2 p.m. Friday
Dinner: 6 p.m. - 11 p.m. Friday
Dinner: 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Saturday
Dinner: 5:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Sunday
Photo credit: J. Wesley Brown
Follow Greer on Pinterest
from the blog
- 11.18.24 – Kick Off the Holidays at VEA Newport Beach’s Festive Celebrations!
- 11.18.24 – Thanksgiving by the Sea: A Feast to Remember at Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach
- 11.16.24 – Bubbles & Bites: A Sparkling Evening with Laurent-Perrier at Gelson’s Irvine
- 11.15.24 – Puesto Debuts New Cozy Dishes Just in Time for the Holidays
- 11.15.24 – Zov’s NEW Private Event Space in Anaheim
- 11.15.24 – Parkers’ Lighthouse Lights Up the Season with a 40th Anniversary Throwback Menu
- 11.13.24 – A Festive Season of Celebrated Performances: Irvine Barclay Theatre
- 11.13.24 – Celebrate the Holidays in Dana Point: Turkey Trot, Festive Dining, and Local Shopping
- 11.13.24 – Via Lido Drugs Reopens with a Fresh Look and Holiday Open House
- 11.13.24 – The Vuori Warehouse Sale in Tustin
- 11.11.24 – Celebrate Thanksgiving in Style at South Coast Plaza
- 11.06.24 – Honor and Celebration: Veterans Day at the Queen Mary
- 11.06.24 – BJ’s Honors Veterans with Free Pizookie® and Appetizer Offers this Veterans Day
- 11.04.24 – Sour Fest ‘24 at Lido Bottle Works | November 6-13, 2024
- 11.04.24 – Sixth Annual Coast Film & Music Festival November 9-17
- 11.04.24 – Comedy for a Cause: Bryan Callen Leads Non-Profit Event for Medically Fragile Children
- 11.01.24 – Holiday Gift Faire at Sherman Gardens: Unique Gifts & Treats
- 11.01.24 – Shawn Colvin & KT Tunstall – Together Onstage in Orange County
- 10.30.24 – Paseo 17 Debuts Monthly Farmers Market!
- 10.28.24 – Week-long Día de los Muertos Specials at Calaca Mamas Cantina!
More Daily Doses
- 11.18.24 – Holiday Magic with the LA Master Chorale: Festival of Carols at Musco Center
- 11.15.24 – The Lido Theater Launches Café Pop-Up Experience
- 11.13.24 – Crews Quarters Moves to Via Lido Plaza: Discover the New Location!
- 11.11.24 – Fermentation Farm Expands to San Juan Capistrano – Where Wellness and Flavor Thrive
- 11.06.24 – Chefsgiving Culinary Celebration For a Cause at Pendry Newport Beach
- 11.06.24 – ‘Shrek the Musical’ Arrives at Segerstrom Center for the Arts for Five Performances Only!
- 11.04.24 – California Wine Festival Returns to Huntington Beach
- 11.01.24 – Born in OC: My First Book on Orange County’s Visionaries
- 10.30.24 – Verde: A New Destination for California Cuisine and Crafted Libations
- 10.28.24 – Bernadette Peters Opens Pacific Symphony Pops Season Nov. 1-2
- 10.28.24 – The Market by The Meat Cellar Opens in San Juan Capistrano This Fall
- 10.25.24 – Buona Forchetta Opens Its Newest Location in Newport Beach
- 10.24.24 – The Boo-Bash Family Celebration at the District at Tustin Legacy
- 10.23.24 – Story Kitchen + Bar Brings a Unique Narrative to Anaheim Hills
- 10.21.24 – Newport Beach Film Festival’s Closing Night Centerpiece: ‘Music by John Williams’
- 10.16.24 – Renovated Lido Theater to Host Newport Beach Film Festival, October 18-24
- 10.16.24 – Inaugural Mexican Food & Wine Festival at CHAAK Kitchen
- 10.14.24 – Join the Fall Cocktail Tour & Colors of Fall at The District at Tustin Legacy
- 10.10.24 – Better Buzz Coffee Roasters Debuts in Costa Mesa with Grand Opening Celebration
- 10.10.24 – Ewan McGregor to Receive TV Performance of the Year Award at 2024 Newport Beach Film Festival
